[Microwave heating and neoadjuvant chemotherapy for malignant bone tumor]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Limb salvage surgery is a common treatment for malignant bone tumors.
• Existing limb salvage procedures have notable disadvantages.
• A novel limb-conservative approach is needed to improve patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a new limb-conservative procedure for malignant bone tumors.
• To assess the efficacy of intraoperative microwave heating combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
• To determine the oncological and functional outcomes of this innovative technique.

Main Methods:

• Patients with malignant bone tumors underwent intraoperative microwave heating of the tumor-bearing bone in situ.
• The procedure involved protecting surrounding tissues with a copper net and heating the bone to 50°C for 15 minutes.
• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered concurrently with the surgical intervention.

Main Results:

• The study included 27 patients with various bone tumors, including osteosarcoma, parosteal osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma.
• Five- and 10-year survival rates were 70.19% and 54.83%, respectively.
• Functional results, assessed by the Enneking system, exceeded 15 points in 21 patients.

Conclusions:

• Intraoperative microwave heating combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy offers a limb-saving alternative for malignant bone tumors.
• This method preserves the shape and continuity of the tumor-bearing bone, avoiding osteotomy and internal fixation.
• The technique demonstrates favorable survival rates, good functional outcomes, and potential benefits for bone remodeling.